What Does God Say About Eating Meat?

"If Mankind Had Known, They Would Have Perished..."

Is it right to eat meat? No matter what religious or spiritual background you may have, it is a valid question. If we are looking to know the heart of Divine Love in all things, why not also in our choices of food? Also, in recent years there have been very public health scares about meat consumption; we read of illnesses and death related to contaminated meat, and also about meat additives such as hormones and antibiotics. What is the best thing to do for our bodies and the bodies of those we love? Should we just stop eating meat? Or just stop eating red meat? Or maybe buy organic meat instead? How does a person figure it all out? Again, this is where knowledge beyond ourselves comes into play, the One who made our bodies knows what is best for them. What does God say about eating meat? What are animals anyway and why are they here? Is it primarily so we can eat them?

SACRED HEART MEMORIAL HOSPITAL DIET

There are two kinds of animals on the earth, wild and domesticated. Just as we are sparks off of the Divine Flame, domesticated animals are smaller sparks off of our own flames. These delegates serve a specific purpose, they are here to teach us more about love, the giving and receiving of love, balance within these bodies and most certainly how to play. These are our pets, and they take these roles very seriously. Delegates operate within our own free will, they are a part of us and are here to help us. They are spirit off our spirit, just as our spirit is off of God's. They are mobile sacred space, opportunities of unconditional love.

What about the non-domesticated animals or wild animals? These all belong to God. These are what we can think of as Father's delegates. These are a different kind of extension of love and joy for Father to feel and experience life through. It is easy to see how people of all cultures have had respect for animals in some regard and how those that we think of as being more spiritual have picked up on the respectful treatment of animals. When we take care of the wild animals, when we show love and respect for them, we demonstrate love and respect for the One who created us all. There are many examples of this, one being St. Francis of Assisi who often called the animals brothers, and was said to be able to communicate with them freely. Clearly, animals have much more to offer us then their flesh. Whether they be wild or domesticated.

Does that mean that a person is doing something wrong if they eat meat? No, it does not. Tiffany Snow specifically asked the question during one of the experiences of her stigmata (the spontaneous opening of the five wounds of Christ). The information offered here is from that time of connection, plus Bible quotations are listed for reference as well.

When God first made mankind, he made them vegetarians. Interestingly, he also made animals that way too. "Then God said, "I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food. And to all the beasts of the earth and all the birds of the air and all the creatures that move on the ground - everything that has the breath of life in it - I give every green plant for food. And it was so." (Genesis 1:29,30) Mankind and the animals were at peace with one another, and a primary objective was to spend time with them and get to know them well (Genesis 2:19, 20).

All this changed after the flood of Noah's day. Now the original ecosystem had been destroyed, and new ways to live it in were given. "Everything that lives and moves will be food for you. Just as I gave you the green plants, I now give you everything. But you must not eat meat that has its lifeblood still in it." (Genesis 9:3,4) Along with this mankind now had a new relationship with the animals, as they also had among themselves. (Genesis 9:2) Now meat was added to sustain life in this new, less Edenic world. It was given as a gift so that others could live. Why had the information about the true delegate nature of animals not been given in the scriptures before? God said it was because if mankind had known, they would not have eaten meat, and would have perished right after the flood, because there was not enough sustenance in the land itself through any other means.

God is so loving that he would allow for encroachment upon himself rather than have mankind suffer and perish by not having enough to eat. This is a precious insight into the tenderness of Love. This is Divine Love in action everyday, literally laying down one's life for another. "Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends." (John 15:13)

Be encouraged then to partake of the banquet that God has ordained for us. For God has allowed mankind to eat meat so that mankind not suffer or be in lack. It is a blessing given to us, with one condition. When meat was given to mankind it was also with the provision that the blood in it was poured out to God. The blood circulating in our veins is not ours, but on loan by God, it is considered his. "The life of the flesh is in the blood...drain out the blood and cover it with earth...you must not eat the blood of any creature..." (Leviticus 17:10-14) Many have wondered if this applies to how a meat is cooked, if eating rare meat is not recommended. But that is not the case. If the animal has been properly bled, that is all that is required, and need not worry us.

Yes, in all cultures throughout time we have seen the natural inclination that as spirituality increases, many have chosen to eat less meat or not to eat meat at all. But this is not required by God, but it is a free will choice available to man, and at this time of world imperfection, we are able to eat meat as needed or even desired. We are told in the Bible that if a person has faith that is strong, it will not matter what they eat. If their faith is weaker and they see a limitation upon themselves that they have imposed or bought into from an imposition of another and they think that they cause themselves harm by eating this food or that food, then they are not to be pushed to change. It is up to them. Accept their choices and allow their faith to grow with God. (1 Corinthians 8:1-13) For it is not what goes into a man that defiles him, but what comes out - not about what he eats or puts in his mouth, but about what comes from it. (Matthew 15:17-20)

From this we can also better understand the sacrifice of animals all throughout scripture. In the Old Testament we have many examples of an animal being offered as a sacrifice, to wash away sin (sin means literally "missing the mark of perfection" like an arrow missing the bull's-eye). God asked that these animals be the first born, be pure and without defect and he asked that their blood be used as a cleansing. Does it make more sense now, knowing that it was God's blood, through the animal, that was being used as a cleansing? God himself was rinsing away sin through his own blood within the animal offered. Now do you also see the forgiveness of sin that came through the life-blood of the perfect first-born son of God, Christ himself, poured out for all mankind?

So let it be known that it is up to each individual whether or not they choose to eat meat. That is between the person and God. We are not asked to live in fear, for fear stagnates and freezes us, love always moves us forward. Listen to the spirit of God within you, for he often talks to us in our own voice, and lift up any questions about eating this or that to God. It is not about following the news about the next health scare, which often includes vegetable warnings as well. But to live in faith and love, and in balance. This place of balance is where The Big Guy wants all of us to be, each of us to be the mystic and hear him for ourselves. Not to give our power away to others or live in fear, but to lift all things up and see if they resonate with our heart and spirit, to listen to the spark of God within us. That place of listening may be guiding your hand over which cut or kind of meat on any particular day, or it may be that place of remembering to pray a blessing over any food before you eat it, transforming it back into a state of health for us.

Now you have greater understanding of the deeper knowledge of animals and meat, and the love of God for humanity.

Love desires us and our loved ones to be healthy, and fully guided and protected in all things. Especially as things speed up in this world shift and the dark becomes darker, more guidance and information is given, for the light becomes lighter as well, and Love wins! This love includes having safe and healthy food for the physical body, and the spiritual information to help us grow and understand ourselves and the world better, including the animals around us.

By Tiffany Snow © 2008

What Does God Say About Eating Meat?

SACRED HEART MEMORIAL HOSPITAL DIET